Russophobia is one of the most odious phenomena that Russia has been facing for several centuries. At present, the Russophobic ideology has been adopted by almost all major Western countries; it determines the political agenda in the confrontation of these countries with Russia. To effectively oppose this policy, it is necessary to comprehensively analyze the origins of the Russophobic policy. The study and criticism of Russophobia presuppose the reconstruction of historical events, social factors and political ideas that constitute the origins of this phenomenon as well as the main directions of its evolution.